ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office of Pakistan on Thursday said Saudi authorities have not denied consular access to Pakistani scholar Zaid Hamid. “Our request for consular access to him is under consideration.”

In his weekly press briefing, the FO spokesperson said Qazi M. Khalilullah said, “I have been constantly in touch with our Embassy in Saudi Arabia. Our Embassy has officially requested the host authorities to convey factual position in view of media reports about the sentence given to Mr. Hamid, provide consular access and intimate charges against him. Response of the concerned authorities of Saudi Arabia is awaited.”

To a question, Mr. Khalilullah said Pakistan was committed to good neighborly relations with Afghanistan. Peace in Afghanistan is in the interest of Pakistan.

“We are committed to supporting an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process. We have been supporting this process and we will continue to support it.”

To anither question regarding alleged RAW funding to MQM, he said the Government of Pakistan is in touch with British authorities with a view to seeking information and facts of the report as its contents are of vital significance to the State of Pakistan. “So far, to the best of my knowledge, we have not received any response,” he added.